Molasses, or
black treacle (British, for human consumption; known as molasses otherwise), is a
viscous by-product of the refining of
sugarcane or
sugar beets into
sugar. The word comes from the Proto-Indo-European
mélid. Cognates include Ancient Greek μέλι (
méli) (honey), Latin
mel, Spanish
melaza (molasses) and
miel (honey), and Portuguese
melaço. Molasses varies by amount of sugar, method of extraction, and age of plant.